Pennsylvania Driver's License Point System

The Pennsylvania demerit points system is maintained by the state's Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and was designed to discourage unsafe driving. A driver is issued points on license credentials when he or she commits and pleads guilty to moving violations. Drivers may wonder, “How long do points stay on your license in PA?” The point system keeps track of a driver's accumulation of points, and may deliver sanctions and consequences if he or she collects too many points in a specific time period. Since penalty points can be detrimental to a driver's record and may result in license suspension, drivers should review details on how the point system works. The Pennsylvania driver point system is closely monitored by the DOT, and careless drivers who have accumulated too many points are sanctioned. Speeding ticket points can affect a young driver differently than an adult driver. To learn more about how demerit points for speeding affect a driver's record, how the point system operates in Pennsylvania and how to eliminate points from a record, review the following sections.

What is the Pennsylvania point system?

The DOT keeps track of Pennsylvania careless driving points that drivers accumulate on their records. This PA demerit point system allows the DOT to single out aggressive, careless or irresponsible drivers, and requires them to serve license suspensions or to successfully complete safe driving exams. By observing the accumulation of driving points and taking action against drivers with too many points, the DOT hopes to keep the state's roads safer for everyone. Drivers license points are placed on a driver's record after he or she is issued a moving violation and pays the traffic ticket fines. The points on drivers license in PA cannot be submitted for placement on the driver's record until he or she pays the fine, because that is how the driver admits guilt to committing the violation. The accumulation of a specific number of driving record points leads the DOT to sanction drivers and require the completion of different tasks to continue allowing them to legally drive. By enforcing strict consequences for penalty points drivers accumulate on record, the DOT motivates drivers to stay up-to-date on traffic laws, obey all driving legalities and always drive responsibly. Learn more about the PA point system in our free and informative guide.

What happens when Pennsylvania demerit points accumulate?

The Pennsylvania point system delivers different consequences to young drivers under the age of 18 than it does to adult drivers who are 18 years of age and older when they accumulate points on their records. Young drivers who accumulate six demerit points are subject to a drivers license suspension. In addition to accumulating six penalty points, if a young driver is found speeding 26mph or more over the posted speed limit sign, he or she may automatically face a drivers license suspension. If more speeding ticket points are accumulated by a young driver, he or she will face a longer period of driver's license suspension, and must also adhere to the penalty point system sanctions set for adult drivers by the DOT. Learn more about point system consequences by downloading our comprehensive guide.

An adult driver who incurs six careless driving points for the first time must complete a special written point examination through the DOT. When this many demerit points for speeding in PA are accumulated, the driver must take and pass the exam, or he or she is required to serve a license suspension. The demerit point system exam covers responsible driving skills, departmental sanctions and safety issues. The Pennsylvania point system requires a driver who accumulates six points for the second time to attend a Departmental Hearing. When the accumulation of driving points becomes an issue, the DOT schedules a hearing to examine the driver's record and decide which consequences to inflict. After the second accumulation of six drivers license points, a driver may be ordered to serve a drivers license suspension, complete the special written point examination or to simply start driving more safely on the roadways. The third time an adult driver accumulates six PA driving record points, he or she is again summoned for a departmental hearing to determine if a license suspension is required. To find out more about the PA point system and the consequences of demerit driving points accumulation, download and review our free guide.

How to Get Pennsylvania License Points off Your Record

Drivers may question, “How long do points stay on your license in Pennsylvania?” Demerit points can be removed from a driver's record after they have been on record for one year, and the driver has not committed any additional violations that incur points within that time period. Three speeding ticket points are removed from the driver's record if he or she achieves a full year without incurring additional points.

Since penalty points can accumulate and cause the DOT to take negative action against unsafe drivers, Pennsylvania residents may wonder how to get points eliminated. Within the PA driver point system, if a driver's record has incurred no points for one full year, the accumulation of new driving penalty points is considered the driver's first accumulation of points. Therefore, the point system starts over with the driver, and if he or she accumulates six demerit driver points, the only consequence is the special written point exam requirement. A driver who has accumulated six points on license in Pennsylvania twice may have two points eliminated if he or she completes all requirements by the DOT, including passing the special written point exam.